Harbin Wester
Overview Harbin Wester is a fat and pompous old fool. He is human and is the Townmaster of Phandalin and spends his days sitting at his desk in the Townmaster's Hall. A banker by trade he spends most of his time keeping records for the town and acting as judge in any dispute brought before him, which is rare. He is easily influenced by money but given he has complete control of the towns coffers, his price is not cheap. Physical Description Harbin is a fat man in his late 50's. His plum belly hands out over his stubby legs while his grey hair is thinning at the temples and crown. He wears common cloths of no note despite having access to money. Involvement The Lost Mine of Phandelver (Campaign) Harbin, while acting as the Townmaster of Phandalin, was approached by Ellaria Nightwood and Ravaaga Laughshield shortly after they arrived in town. They where inquiring about the whereabouts of Gundren Rockseeker and about his business dealing in town. Harbin refused to say anything of value without coin passing into his hands, saying "It'll take MUCH more that a simple 2gp". However, as a counter offer, Harbin agreed to pay the pair a total of 100gp to clear out a band of Orcs in Wyvern Tor. A few days later, after the party had raided the Red Brands hideout, Harbin and other town leaders met with Neesa Lanstrider when she returned the Dendrar family to the town from the Red Brand cells. Demanding a brief of what had/was transpiring at Tresendar Manor, he held up Neesa's return to the fray. When a commotion was heard at the nearby Alderleaf Farm, Harbin and the other town leaders follow Neesa's lead and head towards the farmhouse. After hearing the party have cleared out the Red Brand threat from the town Harbin rejoices to hear he is no longer under their thumb. He allows the party to stay at the inn for free for a night to recuperate. After being convinced by Gwendoline Wood, Harbin even consented to allowing the Goblin Droop to be kept in town as long as he stays on a literal short leash. After purchasing information on him from Halia Thornton, Ellaria and Gwen learned that Harbin lived in fear of the Red Brands and that they had personally threatened him into submission. Now that the Red Brands have been dealt with, Harbin fears the town might find out about his arrangement and that he is susceptible to intimidation, they might oust him from his position as Townmaster. Near the end of the campaign the Party returned to see Harbin so as to turn in the Orc bounty. He initially tried to undersell them but when pressed he agreed to pay them the full 100gp, which was split equally among the four. When the topic turned to Red Brands, Harbin drew the suspicion of the Party as being allied or sympathetic to them, but thanks to Rahris Brandchet the situation was deescalated when it became clear Harbin is simply intimated of them and fearful of their return.